In an interview published on the club’s official website, Angers midfielder Azzedine Ounahi has indicated that there are indeed clubs interested in his signature, following his impressive performances as a part of Morocco’s run to the World Cup semi-finals.
Click Here: British & Irish Lions rugby shirts
Among the first clubs to be linked with the former Avranches man were Leicester, with L’Équipe indicating that the Premier League side would be prepared to put up to €45m on the table. Foot Mercato, and tonight Gianluca Di Marzio, then reported that Marseille and Napoli were interested.
The Azzurri are said to have initiated contact with the 22-year-old’s agent, with Di Marzio suggesting a fee closer to the €20m-€25m range would be on the cards.
In any case, with Angers bottom of the Ligue 1 table, a move now appears inevitable for the man who was central to Walid Regragui’s Atlas Lions team over in Doha, not least given the team’s financial restrictions.
“[…] It’s Angers who allowed me to play in a World Cup and show my qualities to the world. If I wasn’t a starter at Angers or playing in Ligue 1, I wouldn’t have had the opportunity to play in a World Cup aged 22. Angers is an important step in my career. Now, we all know that there are clubs who are interested. It’s a choice that will need to be made, one that will be important for my career, and most of all I need to make the right choice. We don’t know how things will play out yet. Will I leave in January? Will I sign somewhere, stay to help the club then leave this summer? I don’t know yet. I’ll wait for the next few days, weeks to make the right choice. I’m in contact every day with the [club] president Saïd [Chabane]. We’re going to make the right choice for my career and for the club.”